Florida middle school teacher removed after 'inappropriate' quiz

Friday

A Florida student taking the quiz Tuesday took a screen shot and sent it to a parent, according to school district spokeswoman Claudia Shea. The parent posted it on social media and it went viral.

A middle school teacher has been removed from the classroom and is under investigation after giving students a quiz that if answered correctly identified President Donald Trump as the 45th president, a Republican, real estate businessman and “idiot.”

In a note sent home to parents Wednesday, Principal Phillip D’Amico of Watson B. Duncan Middle School in Palm Beach Gardens described the question as “inappropriate” and demonstrating “unacceptable lack of good judgment” and apologized for the incident.

The quiz was given in a computer applications course with roughly 20 students, school district spokeswoman Claudia Shea said. Details about what knowledge the quiz was supposed to assess was not available. Shea said it was not a history class.

According to Shea a student taking the quiz Tuesday took a screen shot and sent it to a parent. The parent posted it on social media and it went viral. The parent followed up the next day with the principal.

The teacher, whose name has not been released, was reassigned while the incident is investigated, the principal told parents in his letter.

“A question on a quiz given by your child’s Computer Applications teacher yesterday, was brought to my attention this morning.

“The question was inappropriate, and demonstrated an unacceptable lack of good judgement (sic) on the part of the teacher.

“An investigation is now underway, and the teacher has been reassigned during this process.

“Because this is an open inquiry, I am not at liberty to share any additional details with you at this point.

“I apologize for this incident, and for the offensive verbiage used in the question.

“Thank you for your patience, and your continued support of Watson B. Duncan Middle School.”

Malik Leigh was teaching in the school’s law academy when he crafted a final exam with questions that would have included asking students to decide whether Donald Trump’s election as president would leave them “screwed” or “screwed behind a really YUGE wall that Mexico pays for.”

Another question would have asked students whether the best technique for attorneys making an opening courtroom statement would be to wink at the judge, focus on the hottest juror, talk to jurors like close friends or “treat them like the MORONS they are.”

The principal previewed final exams and pulled the plug on the test as it was written. Leigh was suspended and eventually his contract was not renewed.

This story has been written and syndicated across GateHouse Media Group's 22 Florida markets.